to be surprised at how many people give crisps to their young toddlers?

[lowrib]

I'm not a food fascist by any means, but when DS is so small (21 months) he can only eat what we give him. And too much salt is bad, right? So why would you want to give your toddler crisps? I don't get it! They have no nutritional value, and they're bad for you, right?

This week I saw my mate and her DS (21 months) and he was munching a whole bag of whotsits. And my mate yesterday gave her DS (16 months) a bag of those teddy bear crisps.

DS has had chocolate as an occasional treat when bought for him by relatives, and I let him have the crisp that was offered to him yesterday, to join in. I expect he'll have crisps at parties etc when he's a little older.

But why would you buy them regularly for such young children? I don't get it

"For some reason the whole world feels they have a right to decide what you feed your child."

I'm with you on that one...

I'm fairly liberal wrt food; occasional crisps/treats. Let DS eat veggie pizza that we make together, lots of "fun" foods and not a rice cake in sight. But still, mother dearest knows best and best is apparently a huge cream cake two hours before dinner

i always think that as an adult i find a bag of crisps fairly filling, so i wouldnt expect a child to eat a whole one, as it's clearly an adult serving.

" If you get children used to healthy snacks, that is what they will want. "

Didn't work with me - I was never allowed unhealthy snacks as a kid and like another poster above when I had the money in my hand to spend on food myself used to gorge myself on chocolate and crisps.

DS2 cried the first time he had fizzy drinks too - unfortunatley for him the first time he tasted them he had no choice but to drink them or nothing - he got used to them after about a week - just as well as he had 3 weeks of that, and sweet teat drinking ahead of him

I usually see the same moms who have babies in strollers eating a Greggs sausage roll, such a nourishing meal whilst meandering around the precinct on a lovely sunny day!

you find a bag of crisps filling??? Blimey I can scoff 2 in a row and then eat my dinner

I found it hard work in Zimbabwe - everyone puts literally handfuls of salt into every meal - and as everything is boiled or fried out there you could really taste it.

Weirdly "high salt intake" illnesses don't seem to be so common out there

I agree with MaMaoTTaT. Two of my cousins (siblings) were both banned from eating chocolate/crisps and children. As soon a they got to secondary school they ballooned because they were both stuffing themselves silly with contraband chocolate/burgers/chips.

I am of the everything in moderation school of thought. There is no need to be hardline about treats. It's not like you're allowing your kids crack. My DS is only three and he understands that there are two types of treats in our house; a) everyday treats like yoghurts/raisins/organix crisps etc and b) special treats like crisps/chocolates/marshmallows/lollies for weekends/when he has a friend over to play.

I was fortunate I stayed skinny despite the gorging - although did balloon when pg with DS1 at 21. Thankfully have since lost all the weight - but still have an incredibly sweet tooth and will easily eat 2 packets of crisps, a chocolate bar and a tub of Ben and Jerry's..........even when I've had a healthy dinner earlier

i did say fairly filling..
i just mean, though, that i don't like giving my two a whole pack each, if i can help it, as it encourages them to eat the whole lot iyswim?

dd is at school and doesn't get crisps in her packed lunch, for example. or if she does i put them in a tupperware thing. everything in moderation, etc etc etc.

nah melika - if my DS's have a greggs - then I'm usually sat down with them having one too

Oops I meant "chocolates and crisps AS children" not "chocolates and crisps and children" I think most of us would draw the line at letting our DCs eat other children

oh I don't know cupcakes - DS3 is partial to a bit of his brothers leg

No way could DS (5) finish off a whole bag of crisps without help from me

DD (2) could eat her whole body weight in food

Crisps are garbage. End of.
Vile, vile things....

I agree, Rollmops.

hides empty Walkers packet down side of sofa

Why are crisps garbage, they are only potatoes?

How can you possibly eat this stuff? Tastes pukingly gaggingly horrid.

What about quavers?

they're absolutely LOADED with trans-fats, which according to a recent doc i heard are the biggest health scandal waiting to happen in the western world.

not quavers, necessarily, crisps.

But trans-fats taste so good.

And Pringles taste shite now they've stopped cramming them with MSG. Bloody spoilsports!

they don't actually, they're just cheaper than butter or some other fat that is solid at room temp. that's the only reason they exist, because they're cheap. (oh and cause cancer. )

is that what they've done to pringles? they do taste crap now, lol, i did wonder. still can't stop once i pop, though.

Pringles are still lovely But only the BBQ ones....

noted.

Didn't know for years that crisps are worse for teeth than chocolate! Just another thing to worry about.

it was on QI so it must be true!